"So much for Christmas at the cabin," Sam murmured as she rearranged the pillows behind her for the hundredth time since she'd been sentenced to bedrest.

"Sam..." Jack said with a small chuckle as he straightened up.

"I really hate the idea of just sitting here, and doing nothing except eat and sleep."

"You're doing more than that," her husband assured. "You're spending money by shopping on the internet too."

She glared at him.

"Look, we're making the most of it," Jack reminded her, gently. "You did the shopping, I'll do the..."elf"-ing tonight, and Cassie's doing the cooking."

Sam sighed heavily. "I haven't spent this much time in bed in..."

"Years. I know." He said, seriously. "The last time you were ordered to stay in bed for an extended amount of time was after you were shot by that Ori soldier."

"Oh, do you have to bring that up?" She asked with a groan.

"Note to self, don't mention the fact that we got engaged shortly after that encounter," Jack said, pointedly.

Sam sighed. "I'm sorry, Jack. I'm just...tired of being in this bed. I mean, I feel like a big lump who's not even the slightest bit attractive..."

"That's crazy," Jack said, walking over.

"But it's how I feel," she sighed.

He sat up on the bed, and gently pulled her to him. "You are very attractive," he murmured, quietly as he gently pulled the elastic from her hair as he had done just a few hours after they'd gotten married.

"Jack," she said with a derisive chuckle as she blushed.

"I'm serious," he said with a mischievous smile on his lips as he leaned over to kiss the tender flesh of her neck.

She tried to wiggle away from his attempts at romance. "Jack, what if Grace comes in?" She whispered, breathlessly. She cursed herself for not being able to hide how she felt about his long-awaited caresses.

"She won't," he mumbled between kisses.

"What about Cassandra?"

"Out shopping with Grace."

"Knock, knock," a voice called as their bedroom door was opened. "Sorry, are we interrupting?"

Jack pulled away from his wife, and Sam tried to hide a look of chagrin. "We forgot someone." Sam said, eyeing her husband who mirrored her look of irritation.

"We're interrupting," Vala said from beside him.

"No, please..." Sam said, turning from her husband. "Our house is your house. Besides, that went about as far as it could go under the circumstances."

Daniel blushed. "We just wanted to make sure you guys knew that we were here..."

Sam shrugged as she smoothed some of the wrinkles in the bed. "For all intents and purposes, this has become the living room lately. No one wants me to feel left out."

"Yeah, come on in, guys." Jack said, straightening up the cushion on the window seat in the small nook near his side of the bed. "Have a seat."

Daniel, Vala, and Teal'c all walked into the room, taking their places in the window seat and in the small sitting area nearby as Jack climbed back onto the bed.

"Where are Cassandra Fraiser and Grace O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, surveying the room.

"Last minute grocery shopping," Jack said with a small smile. "Cassandra's liked taking Grace all sorts of places lately."

"Probably takes her mind off of her failed engagement," Daniel said, knowingly.

Sam nodded. "Exactly. It's pretty much what I did after I broke up with Pete and after my dad died."

"Worked out for you."

"Ah, but I couldn't marry Pete because I had unresolved feelings for a certain someone..." She explained.

"Yes, but that puts you into her ex's position." Daniel said, pointedly. "Only you didn't ask the question."

"No, I didn't," she said, soberly. "But I did answer it."

Jack coughed, uncomfortably. "Anyway..."

"Anyway," Vala said, brightly. "Happy Christmas, everyone."

"Happy Christmas?" Jack asked with his brow furrowed in confusion.

"She watched some TV...caught the BBC somehow..." Daniel said by way of explanation. "Said something about how she felt more like she fit in with her accent..."

Sam tried to stifle her chuckle.

"Well, it's true, Daniel. I kept feeling like such an alien whenever you would speak with your particular accent, and then, I found a television station which features people who sound just like my mother's people, whose voices I am accustomed."

"You are an alien," Daniel reminded her.

"Daniel," Vala said with a warning tone in her voice.

"What?" He asked, raising his arms in confusion.

She rolled her eyes. "You spend so much of your time in your books that you probably wouldn't know if the rest of the SGC suddenly started speaking Gaelic."

"Ah, but that's because I, of all the people on the base, would still understand them." He retorted with a smirk.

"We're home!" Cassandra called from the entry.

"Guess where we are!" Sam called back, wryly.

Grace ran into the master bedroom. "Where's Doc?" She asked, energetically. "Usually he meets me at the door."

"Doc?" Daniel asked, reaching for a pocket-sized package of tissues somewhat nervously.

"We left him in the basement to keep Danny, here, from sneezing all day." Jack explained.

"Oh," Grace said, looking somewhat downcast, as Daniel managed a grateful "Ah".

"Where's Cassie?" Jack asked, looking over at his daughter.

"Oh, she's in the kitchen. I'm sure she'll be back when all of the groceries have been put away." She said with a shrug as she walked over to her mother's side of the bed. "Is the baby moving, Mom?"

Sam smiled as she nodded. "Come on up on the bed."

Grace climbed up to sit beside her mother before she placed her hand on her mother's small belly. She grinned, widely. "Hi there, little brother."

"Are you certain you will have a son, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, looking at his friend, curiously.

"Not...exactly..." He said, shrugging.

"Then, why does Grace O'Neill refer to the fetus as her little brother?"

"I had a dream about a little brother," Grace said without prelude.

"Dr. Meyers wants to schedule an ultrasound once I'm off bedrest." Sam said, stroking Grace's hair as she continued touching her mother's stomach. "We should find out for sure at that time." She looked over at Daniel and Vala. "What about you two? Have you found out whether you're going to have a boy or a girl?"

Vala became somewhat quiet as Daniel reached for her hand. "Yeah."

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, noticing the change.

"It's a girl," Vala said as her face became somewhat expressionless.

"You're not excited?" Grace asked, studying Vala's look.

"Grace," Sam murmured, quietly.

"I think I'll see if Cassandra needs any help in the kitchen," Vala said, abruptly standing.

"Me too," Daniel said, following her out the door.

"What'd I say?" Grace asked, looking up at her mom, curiously.

"You know how your dad gets a little quiet when anyone asks about Charlie?" Sam asked, looking at her daughter.

"Yeah."

"Vala had a daughter, and she died." Sam said, succinctly.

"Oh." Grace said, softly. "But aren't you excited that the baby's a boy even though Charlie was a boy too?" She asked, turning to her father.

"Sure, I am." Jack said, nodding. "But Charlie died almost nineteen years ago, and Adria died about three years ago."

"And Vala doesn't like remembering her relationship with Adria." Sam finished.

"Why not?"

"Vala Mal Doran was not close to Adria like I am close to Rya'c, O'Neill was close to Charlie, or your parents are close to you." Teal'c said, soberly.

"I see." Grace said, nodding.

Sam smiled her thanks to the Jaffa, who returned a stoic, yet pleased, nod in her direction.

"I didn't mean to make her sad," Grace said, looking up at her mother.

"I know, angel," Sam said, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "And she'll be okay in a little bit."

"Hey, don't get too cozy there, kiddo," Jack said, lightly. "I still need your help."

"With what?" Grace asked, pulling away from her mother.

"With what?" Jack asked, incredulously. "It's Christmas Eve, but you wouldn't be able to tell from the look of the room. I need your help bringing the Christmas tree and presents in here."

Grace grinned as Jack turned to Teal'c. "We could use your help too, T."

"I would be most honored to help with the decoration, O'Neill," Teal'c said with a moderate smile.

"What can I do?" Sam asked, eagerly.

"Sit there and look pretty until I bring you the popcorn, cranberries and string." He said as he kissed her cheek.

"Jack..."

"Hey, you refuse to take up knitting," he teased.

She laughed softly. "Okay, I'll wait."

"Did someone say popcorn, cranberries and string?" Cassandra asked, bringing the supplies into the bedroom.

"Nice timing!" Jack laughed as he passed Cassandra.

Sam shook her head as she waved Cassandra over. "Okay, kid. Let's get to work."

"Sorry, Sam, but I have Christmas dinner to put together," Cassandra said, shaking her head. "Why don't you turn on one of those cute Christmas specials, and string the popcorn and cranberries while you watch?"

"Fine, I'll look like an old woman," Sam said with a small sigh.

"I promise I'll come and hang out after dinner's ready." Cassandra said with a shrug.

"All right, all right," Sam said, waving her away. "I'll just stay here...all by myself..."

"I'm sure it won't be long before you're back to being the center of attention," Cassandra smiled, apologetically, as she slipped out the door.

"Yeah, right." Sam mumbled as she reached for the remote.

-

"All right, guys," Cassandra said, walking to where Jack, Grace, and Teal'c were gathered in the living room. "Sam's feeling all alone and left out. At least one of you should..."

"Sh." Jack said, putting his finger to his lips as he revealed his cell phone.

Stunned, Cassandra stopped. "What?"

"We're trying to get her a...what'd you call it, Dad?" Grace asked, turning to her father.

"Hello, Dr. Meyers, it's Jack O'Neill. How are you?"

"Reprieve," Teal'c furnished.

Cassie looked back at the bedroom. "You would have one very grateful woman in there."

"Indeed," Teal'c said as Jack moved into another room to finish his conversation with the doctor.

-

"All right, Carter," Jack said, walking into the bedroom. "Up and at 'em."

"What?" Sam asked, looking up from her craft in confusion.

"Get off your lazy ass, and get crackin'. It's Christmas Eve, for cryin' out loud."

"Excuse me?" Sam asked, blinking in incomprehension.

"Daddy called Dr. Meyers who said you could leave your room and go to the living room." Grace said, following her father into the master bedroom.

Sam's jaw dropped in surprise.

"You're still a little bit restricted," Jack explained. "You can walk to any room on this floor, but you have to sit for at least an hour in that room. And...I know you'll be sad to hear it, but this is instead of your daily shower and stretching allotment."

"I think that's a generous exchange," Sam said, still somewhat shocked.

"Sorry about the lazy ass stuff," Jack said, sincerely. "I shouldn't have said that."

Sam chuckled softly as tears welled up in her eyes. "I forgive you, Jack. This is the best Christmas present that anyone could ever give me."

He grinned. "These conditions last until December 26, so enjoy them while you can."

"Believe me, I intend to," she said, earnestly. "But I'd appreciate it if you could leave my bedroom while I change into something a little more...suitable for the occasion."

"All right, folks," Jack said, herding the group out of the room. "You heard the lady. Give her some room..."

"Jack?"

He turned back toward his wife, whose legs were dangling just above the floor as she prepared to stand. "Yeah?"

"I love you."

He grinned. "I love you too. You need some help?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Hollar if you do," he said, closing the door behind him.

Sam exhaled in satisfaction. She had the best husband in the all the three or so galaxies she'd ever visited.